The toss

Yesterday we  travelled along the river Don to the village of Bellabeg to attend the 174th Lonach Highland Gathering and Games which are always held on the 4th Saturday of August.
The tossing of the caber, the trunk of a larch tree about 19 feet in length and weighing some 175 pounds,  is an essential part of any Highland games. The theory of caber tossing is quite simple, but the practice is extremely difficult requiring great strength and excellent technique. 
The tosser balances the caber upright, tapered end downwards, against his shoulder and neck; the caber being supported by  fellow-competitors while being placed into position. The tosser then crouches, sliding his interlocked hands down the caber and under the rounded base and lifts it in his cupped hands. On standing he must balance the caber upright - no easy feat with the heavier end being at the top. The tosser then runs a few paces forward to gain momentum and flips the tapered end upwards and forwards so that the large end hits the ground first and - if well tossed - the caber should fall directly away from the tosser in the "12 o'clock" position. The distance thrown is unimportant; the straightest end-over-end toss scores highest.
If you are wondering whether Talpa can toss a caber then the answer is that he doesn't know, never having tried!